EntityQ174817· pop 64· linked from 1,609 articles

Soundgarden

AI overview

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1984 that became known for its influential music throughout the 1980s and 1990s, disbanding in 1997 before reuniting in 2010 until singer Chris Cornell's death in 2017. The band's significance lies in its role as part of the Seattle rock scene and its impact on rock music during a transformative period in the genre's history.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Musical artist.name: Soundgarden
Musical artist.background: group_or_band
Musical artist.image: Soundgarden at Paramount Theatre.jpg
Musical artist.landscape: yes
Musical artist.caption: Soundgarden performing in February 2013. From left to right: Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd.
Musical artist.origin: Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Musical artist.past_members: Kim Thayil Chris Cornell Matt Cameron Hiro Yamamoto Scott Sundquist Jason Everman Ben Shepherd
Musical artist.alias: Nudedragons (2010)

via Wikipedia infobox

Article

20 sections

Contents

History
Formation and early recordings (1984–1988)
''Ultramega OK'', major label signing, and ''Louder Than Love'' (1988–1990)
Established lineup, ''Badmotorfinger'', and rise in popularity (1990–1993)
''Superunknown'' and mainstream success (1994–1995)
''Down on the Upside'' and breakup (1996–1997)
Post-breakup activities (1998–2009)
Reunion, ''Telephantasm'' and ''King Animal'' (2010–2013)
''Echo of Miles...'' and Cornell's death (2013–2017)
Aftermath, disbandment and reunions (2017–present)
Musical style and influences
Legacy
Band members
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Awards and nominations
References
Bibliography
External links

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Scott Sundquist was brought in to play drums in 1985 so that Cornell could focus solely on vocals. Sundquist was soon replaced on drums by Matt Cameron in 1986. Yamamoto left in 1989 and was replaced initially by Jason Everman and shortly thereafter by Ben Shepherd. Soundgarden disbanded in 1997 and reformed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017, Thayil declared in October 2018 that Soundgarden had disbanded a second time. The surviving members of the band have since continued to occasionally work together, including reuniting for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell in January 2019, then again in December 2024 for a benefit concert in Seattle, with Shaina Shepherd on vocals, under the anagram Nudedragons, and for Soundgarden's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2025, joined by Taylor Momsen and Brandi Carlile on vocals.

Soundgarden was one of the pioneers of grunge music, a style of alternative rock that developed in the American Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s, and helped to popularize it in the early 1990s, alongside such Seattle contemporaries as Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana. They were the first of a number of grunge bands to sign to the Seattle-based record label Sub Pop, through which they released two EPs: Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988). Soundgarden's debut album, Ultramega OK, was also released in 1988 by the Los Angeles-based independent label SST Records; although the album did not sell well nationally, it garnered critical acclaim and the band's first Grammy Award nomination. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to be signed to a major label when they signed to A&M Records in 1988. The release of their second album, Louder Than Love (1989), was the band's first album to enter the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 108, and spawned two radio hits: "Hands All Over" and "Loud Love".